Compact Display Unit

ABSTRACT

A compact display unit including a mobile application server. The mobile application server is mounted in the vehicle for receipt and transmission of communications. The mobile application server is operatively connected to the compact display unit. The compact display unit presents to a vehicle operator a plurality of pre-selected permissive communications for intercommunication between the vehicle and a remote base station located outside of the vehicle. A touch screen connects to the monitor and presents the programmed permissible communication options to the vehicle operator. The permissible communications options are capable of being masked by the remote base station, and cannot be unmasked by the vehicle operator.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/519,319, entitled “Compact Display Unit” and filed on Sep. 11, 2006,which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The apparatus and method disclosed and claimed in this document pertainsgenerally to display units. More particularly, the new and usefulcompact display unit disclosed and claimed in this document pertains toan apparatus and method useful in a mobile satellite communicationssystem that includes a mobile computing platform. The compact displayunit is particularly, but not exclusively, useful for providing abutton-activated, touch screen operated display unit, that excludes akeyboard but allows a vehicle driver or operator to select from a rangeof programmably permissive communications that may be transmittedbetween the vehicle and a mobile server, such as used by a vehicledispatcher, and other remote servers within a mobile satellitecommunications system. The compact display unit is particularly, but notexclusively, useful for inter-communication between at least one basestation such as a vehicle dispatcher and a means of transport.

2. Background

A system for at least two-way communications between one or more basestations such as a vehicle dispatcher, and a means of transport remotefrom the base station, is increasingly in demand. The demand is for amobile satellite communications system that allows vehicle owners totrack the location of vehicles, prevents misappropriation of a vehicle,enables communication between a vehicle and a vehicle dispatcher,enables optional communication among vehicle operators, allows selectivecommunication with third parties, and monitors various problemsconfronted by vehicle operators in connection with a vehicle.

The term “means of transport” as used in this document includes not onlysuch nonexclusive vehicles as ground-based motorized vehicles includingtrucks, cars, and trains, but also ships, boats, airborne means oftransport, and the like (collectively in this document, “vehicle” or“vehicles”).

The term “remote” as used in this document means either that one objectis removed in space from another systemically interrelated but distantobject or objects, or that one object has the capability of acting on,controlling, sending data to, or acquiring data from, such othersystemically interrelated but distant object or objects, without comingin physical contact with one another.

Efforts to achieve communications between and among remote vehicles andvehicle dispatchers, for example, and to locate, track, identify, andcommunicate with such vehicles, has been enhanced by combining the U.S.Global Positioning System with a variety of hardware and software systemcomponents.

Demand in the industry now has grown to also require a new, useful andimproved mobile satellite communications system with enhancedcapabilities for inter-communication between at least one base stationand one or more vehicles, such as the Qualcomm® Mobile ComputingPlatform (in this document, for example, “Qualcomm® mobile satellitecommunications system”). The compact display unit disclosed and claimedin this document provides new and useful features for such a mobilesatellite communications system by providing an apparatus and systemthat permits a vehicle occupant to communicate from either a stationaryor moving vehicle using a button-activated and touch screen operateddisplay unit with enhanced safety features. The enhanced safety featuresinclude the exclusion of a conventional full keyboard associated withthe compact display unit.

The absence of a conventional fully keyed keyboard enhances safetybecause a vehicle operator cannot enter data using a conventionalkeyboard during operation or transit of a vehicle. However, the compactdisplay unit includes activation buttons that permit an operator toinitiate a range of programmably permissive communications provided on atouch screen display from the vehicle to one or more remote serverswithout removing eye contact with the road and outside conditions, andto transmit a message to one or more remote servers across a Qualcomm®mobile satellite communications system. These capabilities and featurescurrently are not available to the industry.

SUMMARY

The compact display unit is operatively connectable to a mobileapplication server for transmission and receipt of a range ofpre-selected permissive communications between the vehicle and a remoteserver by a vehicle operator during operation of the vehicle as well aswhile the vehicle is stationary. A touch screen presents permissiblecommunication options to a vehicle operator. The permissiblecommunications options are capable of being masked by a remote basestation. However, masked ones of said permissible communications optionscannot be unmasked by the vehicle operator.

It will become apparent to one skilled in the art that the claimedsubject matter as a whole, including the structure of the apparatus, andthe cooperation of the elements of the apparatus, combine to result in anumber of unexpected advantages and utilities. The structure andco-operation of structure of the compact display unit will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art when read in conjunction with thefollowing description, drawing figures, and appended claims.

The foregoing has outlined broadly the more important features of theinvention to better understand the detailed description that follows,and to better understand the contributions to the art. The compactdisplay unit is not limited in application to the details ofconstruction, and to the arrangements of the components, provided in thefollowing description or drawing figures, but is capable of otherembodiments, and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.

The phraseology and terminology employed in this disclosure are forpurpose of description, and therefore should not be regarded aslimiting. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the conception onwhich this disclosure is based readily may be used as a basis fordesigning other structures, methods, and systems. The claims, therefore,include equivalent constructions.

Further, the abstract associated with this disclosure is intendedneither to define the compact display unit, which is measured by theclaims, nor intended to limit the scope of the claims.

The novel features of the compact display unit are best understood fromthe accompanying drawing, considered in connection with the accompanyingdescription of the drawing, in which similar reference characters referto similar parts, and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 of the drawing is a perspective view of the compact display unit;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the compact display unitoperatively connected to other communications components;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the Qualcomm® mobile satellitecommunications system; and

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view showing a vehicle and selectedcomponents of a mobile computing platform.

Regarding the drawing figures, to the extent that subscripts to thenumerical designations include the lower case letter “n,” as in “a-n,”the letter “n” is intended to express a number of repetitions of theelement designated by that numerical reference and subscripts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, a compact display unit 10 is provided that in itsbroadest context includes a housing 12. An array of buttons 14 ispositioned on housing 12. Array of buttons 14 is adapted to activatedisplay unit 10. A monitor 16 is mounted in housing 12. The monitor 16is adapted to visually present a range of programmable permissivecommunications 18 a-f to a vehicle operator. A mobile server 20 isincluded. Mobile server 20 is mounted in the vehicle 22 and isoperatively connected to the monitor 16. Mobile server 20 is capable oftransmitting messages to, and receiving messages from, a remote server24 in a Qualcomm® mobile satellite communications system 26, whichincludes a mobile computing platform 38, selected components of whichare illustrated in FIG. 4.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, a compact display unit 10 may bemounted on a vehicle 22 shown by cross-reference between FIGS. 3-4.Optionally, compact display unit 10 may be removably mounted in vehicle22 adjacent to and within comfortable viewing range of a vehicleoperator on a gimbals device. Alternatively, the compact display unit 10is sufficiently compact and lightweight to be removably mounted invehicle 22 using double-sided Velcro® arrangements. The compact displayunit 10 is operable by a vehicle operator while a vehicle 22 is eitherstationary or moving.

Array of buttons 14 is positioned on housing 12 of the compact displayunit 10 within comfortable reach of the vehicle operator. Array ofbuttons 14 is used by the vehicle operator to activate compact displayunit 10 to initiate communications over the compact display unit 10.Array of buttons 14 includes icons on the individual buttons 14 a-n. Theicons instruct the vehicle operator what activation step each buttonperforms. For example, a “home” icon on individual button 14 a is usedby the vehicle operator to open a communications channel to a menu ofcommunication options a user may select.

The monitor 16 mounted in housing 12 of compact display unit 10 includesa touch screen 28 that presents to the vehicle operator a range ofprogrammable permissive communications 18 a-f as shown in FIG. 1 indiagrammatic and graphic form. By touching programmable permissivecommunications 18 a, for example, the vehicle operator can report to avehicle dispatcher that a mechanical problem exists in connection withvehicle 22. The range of programmable permissive communications 18 a-fis purposefully brief and limited for safety reasons: compact displayunit 10 is provided for use by a vehicle operator during operation,movement, or transit of a vehicle 22 (collectively, “operation”). Avehicle operator, for example, may have navigation questions or problemsto discuss with a vehicle dispatcher. Accordingly, compact display unit10 requires only minimal finger movements by a vehicle operator toinitiate and conduct communications about such emergency situationsusing compact display unit 10. For the same reason, a conventionalkeyboard is not connectable to compact display unit 10 to avoid operatordistraction during vehicle operation.

As shown in FIG. 2, mobile server 20 is mounted in vehicle 22 and isoperatively connected to the monitor 16 of compact display unit 10.Mobile server 20 is included to transmit messages sent by a vehicleoperator by using touch screen 28 to send messages to a remote server24, as well as to receive messages from one or more remote servers 24across a Qualcomm® mobile satellite communications system 26 as shown inFIG. 3. Mobile server 20 may be mounted in any convenient location onvehicle 22. Optionally, for example, mobile server 20 frequently ismounted in a toolbox area underneath a bunk in a sleeper of aninterstate truck.

As also shown by cross-reference between FIGS. 2 and 4, mobile server 20is operatively connected to compact display unit 10. In the embodimentshown in FIG. 2, a communications path between compact display unit 10and mobile server 20 is included. The communications path includes atleast one serial port 30, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2, mountedin mobile server 20. Conduit connectivity between compact display unit10 and mobile server 20 also is included. In addition, thecommunications path includes a virtual network computing link 32, showndiagrammatically in FIG. 2, operatively connected via the serial port tocompact display unit 10. Preferably, but optionally, the virtual networkcomputing link 32 is used in conjunction with compact display unit 10and mobile server 20 for a number of currently useful reasons, but otherimproved links may become available for use. Virtual network computinglink (“VNC”) 32 uses the Remote Frame Buffer protocol for remotelycontrolling another computer or server, which permits networkcommunications. VNC is platform independent, so any operating system maybe used. VNC software also makes it possible to view and fully-interactwith one or more mobile computers or devices across a system such asQualcomm® mobile satellite communications system 26. VNC also is opensource code and, although not inherently secure, the compact displayunit 10 and mobile server 20 may be equipped with one or more encryptionoptions for enhanced security by users. Likewise, compact display unit10 and mobile server 20 may be equipped with one or more softwareprograms for detecting removal or attempted removal of the compactdisplay unit 10 and mobile server 20 from vehicle 22, as well asunauthorized misappropriation of vehicle 22 itself

As indicated, monitor 16 includes touch screen 28 that provides avehicle operator a range of programmable permissive communications 18a-f in diagrammatic and graphic form. Each of the programmablepermissive communications 18 a-f in diagrammatic and graphic form may bemasked, or deleted, from among the programmable permissivecommunications 18 a-f that may be viewed by a vehicle operator. Thevehicle operator is unable to alter such masking. Such masking usuallyis based on policies of the vehicle owner. For example, the owner of avehicle may not want to allow vehicle operators to communicate with anystation or remote sever 24 other than a vehicle dispatcher, so otheroptions may be masked.

In operation, compact display unit 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 ismounted adjacent to, in vision of, and within reach of an operator of avehicle 22. Because compact display unit 10 lacks a full keyboard,compact display unit 10 is usually a secondary means of communication toa remote server 24 across a Qualcomm® mobile satellite communicationssystem 26 as shown in FIG. 3. The Qualcomm® mobile satellitecommunications system 26 also includes a media display unit 34 as shownin FIG. 2. Media display unit 34 is the primary display unit because itincludes a full keyboard (not shown) intended to be operated either by asecond occupant of vehicle 22 during operation of vehicle 22, or by avehicle operator while vehicle 22 is stationary. As also shown in FIG.2, mobile server 20 is operatively connected to a satellite data modem36 mounted on vehicle 22 that includes an antenna capable of receivingand transmitting messages to other servers within the Qualcomm® mobilesatellite communications system 26.

The compact display unit 10 shown in drawing FIGS. 1 through 3 is atleast one embodiment not intended to be exclusive, but merelyillustrative of the disclosed but non-exclusive embodiments. Claimelements and steps in this document have been numbered and/or letteredsolely as an aid in readability and understanding. The numbering is notintended to, and should not be considered as intending to, indicate theordering of elements and steps in the claims.

1. A vehicle-mountable display unit, comprising: a housing; and adisplay mounted in the housing, the display being configured to presenta plurality of programmable permissible communication options to avehicle operator for intercommunication between at least one remote basestation located outside of said vehicle and the vehicle, wherein saidpermissible communications options are capable of being masked by saidat least one remote base station, further wherein masked ones of saidpermissible communications options cannot be unmasked by the vehicleoperator.
 2. The vehicle-mountable display unit according to claim 1,wherein said permissible communications options are capable of beingindividually masked by said at least one remote base station.
 3. Thevehicle-mountable display unit according to claim 1, wherein a maskedprogrammed permissible communications option is masked from the vehicleoperator's view.
 4. The vehicle-mountable display unit according toclaim 1, wherein the display unit is configured such that it is notconnectable with a keyboard for data entry such that the vehicleoperator is precluded from entry of data into the display unit.
 5. Thevehicle-mountable display unit according to claim 1, further comprising:an array of buttons positioned on the housing to activate the displayunit.
 6. The vehicle-mountable display unit according to claim 1,further comprising: a separate media display unit, which is providedwith a keyboard for data entry into said separate media display unit. 7.The vehicle-mountable display unit according to claim 6, wherein saidseparate media display unit is a primary means of communication to saidremote base station across a mobile satellite communications system, andwherein said display unit is a secondary means of communication to saidremote base station across said mobile satellite communications system.8. The vehicle-mountable display unit according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a mobile server mounted in the vehicle and connected to thedisplay, wherein the mobile server transmits and receives messages forintercommunication between at least one remote base station and thevehicle operator across a mobile satellite communications system.
 9. Thevehicle-mountable display unit according to claim 8, further comprisingone or more programs in the mobile server to transmit to, and receivemessages from, a mobile satellite communications system.
 10. Thevehicle-mountable display unit according to claim 9, further comprisingone or more programs in the mobile server to detect either removal orattempted removal of the display unit and mobile server from thevehicle, or to detect unauthorized misappropriation of the vehicle. 11.The vehicle-mountable display unit according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a text-to-speech engine to control text-to-speech signals.12. The vehicle-mountable display unit according to claim 1, wherein thedisplay unit is operable by a vehicle operator while the vehicle iseither stationary or moving.
 13. A vehicle-mountable display unit,comprising: means for housing; and means for displaying a plurality ofprogrammable permissible communication options to a vehicle operator forintercommunication between at least one remote base station locatedoutside of said vehicle and the vehicle, wherein said permissiblecommunications options are capable of being masked by said at least oneremote base station, further wherein masked ones of said permissiblecommunications options cannot be unmasked by the vehicle operator. 14.The vehicle-mountable display unit according to claim 13, furthercomprising: means for transmitting and receiving messages forintercommunication between at least one remote base station and thevehicle operator across a mobile satellite communications system,wherein the means for transmitting and receiving messages is connectedto the means for displaying the plurality of programmable permissiblecommunication options.
 15. The vehicle-mountable display unit accordingto claim 14, wherein said permissible communications options are capableof being individually masked by said at least one remote base station.16. The vehicle-mountable display unit according to claim 14, furthercomprising: means for displaying media, which is provided with akeyboard for data entry into said means for displaying media, whereinsaid means for displaying media is a primary means of communication tosaid remote base station across a mobile satellite communicationssystem, and wherein said means for displaying the plurality ofprogrammable permissible communication options to a vehicle operator isa secondary means of communication to said remote base station acrosssaid mobile satellite communications system.
 17. A system for displayingpre-selected vehicle communications options, comprising: a mobileapplication server mountable in the vehicle for receipt and transmissionof the communications in conjunction with a mobile satellitecommunications system for intercommunication between at least one remotebase station and the vehicle; and a compact display unit operativelyconnectable to the mobile application server for presenting a pluralityof pre-selected permissible communications options between the vehicleand the remote server by a vehicle operator during operation of thevehicle, wherein the compact display unit includes: a display forpresenting the pre-selected permissible communications options to avehicle operator for said intercommunication between a remote server andthe vehicle operator, wherein said permissible communications optionsare capable of being masked by said at least one remote base station,and wherein masked ones of said permissible communications optionscannot be unmasked by the vehicle operator.
 18. The system according toclaim 17, wherein said permissible communications options are capable ofbeing individually masked by said at least one remote base station. 19.The system according to claim 17, wherein a masked permissiblecommunications option is masked from the vehicle operator's view. 20.The system according to claim 18, wherein the display unit is configuredsuch that it is not connectable with a keyboard for data entry such thatthe vehicle operator is precluded from entry of data into the displayunit.
 21. The system according to claim 17, wherein the mobile servertransmits and receives messages for intercommunication between at leastone remote base station and the vehicle operator.
 22. The systemaccording to claim 17, wherein the compact display unit furthercomprises an array of buttons positioned adjacent said display toactivate the display unit.
 23. The system according to claim 17, furthercomprising: a separate media display unit, which is provided with akeyboard for data entry into said separate media display unit.
 24. Thesystem according to claim 23, wherein said separate media display unitis a primary means of communication to said remote base station acrosssaid mobile satellite communications system, and wherein said displayunit is a secondary means of communication to said remote base stationacross said mobile satellite communications system.
 25. The systemaccording to claim 17, further comprising: at least one program in themobile server to transmit to and receive messages from a mobilesatellite communications system.
 26. The system according to claim 25,further comprising: at least one program in the mobile server to detectat least one of removal of the display unit and mobile server from thevehicle, attempted removal of the display unit and mobile server fromthe vehicle, and unauthorized misappropriation of the vehicle.
 27. Thesystem according to claim 17, further comprising: a text-to-speechengine to control text-to-speech signals.
 28. The system according toclaim 17, wherein the display unit is operable by a vehicle operatorwhile the vehicle is either stationary or moving.
 29. The systemaccording to claim 17, further comprising means for operativelyconnecting the compact display unit to the mobile application server.30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the means for operativelyconnecting the compact display unit to the mobile application serverincludes a communications path between the compact display unit and themobile application server.
 31. The system according to claim 30, whereinthe communications path includes a serial port mounted in the mobileapplication server.
 32. The system according to claim 31, wherein thecommunications path includes a virtual network computing linkoperatively connected via the serial port to the compact display unit.33. A method for providing communication options, comprising the stepsof: installing in a vehicle a mobile application server capable ofreceipt and transmission of communications in conjunction with a mobilesatellite communications system for intercommunication between at leastone remote base station located outside of said server and the vehicle;and providing a compact display unit operatively connectable to themobile application server for presenting a plurality of pre-selectedpermissible communications options between the vehicle and the remoteserver by a vehicle operator during operation of the vehicle, whereinthe compact display unit includes: a display for presenting thepre-selected permissible communications options to a vehicle operatorfor said intercommunication between a remote server and the vehicleoperator, wherein said permissible communications options are capable ofbeing masked by said at least one remote base station, and whereinmasked ones of said permissible communications options cannot beunmasked by the vehicle operator.
 34. The method according to claim 33,wherein said permissible communications options are capable of beingindividually masked by said at least one remote base station.
 35. Themethod according to claim 33, wherein a masked, permissiblecommunications option is masked from a vehicle operator's view.
 36. Themethod according to claim 33, wherein the display unit is configuredsuch that it is not connectable with a keyboard for data entry such thatthe vehicle operator is precluded from entry of data into the displayunit.
 37. The method according to claim 33, further comprising:providing a separate media display unit, which is provided with akeyboard for data entry into said separate media display unit.
 38. Themethod according to claim 37, wherein said separate media display unitis as a primary means of communication to said remote base stationacross said mobile satellite communications system, and wherein saiddisplay unit is a secondary means of communication to said remote basestation across said mobile satellite communications system.
 39. Themethod according to claim 33, wherein the step of installing in avehicle a mobile application server capable of receipt and transmissionof communications includes the substeps of: providing a communicationspath between the compact display unit and the mobile application server;installing a serial port in the mobile application server; and includinga virtual network computing link operatively connected via the serialport to the compact display unit.
 40. The method according to claim 39,wherein the step of providing a compact display unit operativelyconnectable to the mobile application server for presenting a pluralityof pre-selected permissible communications between the vehicle and aremote server by a vehicle operator during operation of the vehicleincludes the substep of arranging one or more buttons on the compactdisplay unit for activating the compact display unit.